Whether lounging in a backyard pool or taking a swim at the beach, pool floats are among the most common devices used by recreational swimmers. Whether the float is in the form of an inflatable inner tube or a foam lounger, swimmers and beach-goers alike utilize these extremely lightweight and portable floats for a variety of waterborne activities.
However, owing to their lightweight construction, many floats are extremely vulnerable to wind and currents when they are in the water. This is particularly true when the float is in open bodies of water such as the ocean, lakes and rivers, for example. As a result, it is not uncommon for a user who is occupying the float to be forced to continuously swim or paddle, in order to remain in the same general area. This is undesirable in many cases as one of the primary uses of the float is to allow the user to relax. In addition to the above, when the user is not resting on the float, care must be taken to prevent it from drifting away. In this regard, users are often forced to carry the float out of the water, where it is out of sight, and hope that no one steals it.
Although there are known anchor devices for boats and other large craft, these devices are not suitable for use in the above described situation, as the shape and material of these anchors would easily tear the float fabric if and when contact between the two surfaces is made. Moreover, owing to the large size of traditional anchors, there is no way to easily store the devices together when one or both are not being utilized.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a tether device that can be secured to any type of pool float in order to maintain the same in a stationary position when in the water, and without suffering from the drawbacks of the above noted devices.